Can more then one religion be true?

[Guest feraline]

There are so many different religions out there - Islam, Christianity, Wicca, just to name a few - and each contends that it has a path to God. Some consider themselves the only truth and others say that there are many paths. Since many religions all have similiar elements and there are some ideas universal to all religions (don't kill people, for instance) can it be possible that more then one faith is true or contains some truth?

[Ovedya]

A brief correction. Wicca is not a religion that teaches a particular path to God or to heaven.

There are only three major world religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. These are recognized as such because all three have holy writs. Wicca and Hinduism are broad in spectrum and neither have writings which are considered holy in nature.

There is only one path to God, and that is through Christ Jesus. Only Christianity teaches this fact.

[Guest feraline]

A brief correction. Wicca is not a religion that teaches a particular path to God or to heaven.

There are only three major world religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. These are recognized as such because all three have holy writs. Wicca and Hinduism are broad in spectrum and neither have writings which are considered holy in nature.

There is only one path to God, and that is through Christ Jesus. Only Christianity teaches this fact.

True, there are three major world religions, but I am referring to all religions, even the not so popular like Santeria, Jainism, Kemet and the like. Nearly all religions claim to have some path to the creator, whether they believe in a singular deity, a trinity or a pantheon. Not all claim to have the only path, which is the claim Christianity makes, and not all even believe that the point of religion should be a relationship with a creator or higher power. But all claim to have some truth or offer valuable learning, even Wicca. Is it possible that even obscure religions have some truth, or that practicing a different religion can "save" you or lead you to God?

What I'm asking is...do you believe it's true that you need Jesus, which Christianity says, or can you get saved by good works, dying a martyr, etc as other faiths claim...?

By the way, I learned in human geography that the major three were called such because they were the most widely practiced, not because of having a text. Is that true?

[Ovedya]

...Nearly all religions claim to have some path to the creator, whether they believe in a singular deity, a trinity or a pantheon.

It really depends on which religion you are examining. As far as I know, no other religion other than "the big three" claim to have a path to heaven. Hinduism, Jainism, Bahai, and other new age spinoffs of Hinduism teach of attaining higher levels of consciousness and believe in cyclical regeneration or reincarnation. Other faiths teach that you can attain higher levels of conscious power and that you can actually become a diety or a god - or at least equal to them.

Not all claim to have the only path, which is the claim Christianity makes, and not all even believe that the point of religion should be a relationship with a creator or higher power. But all claim to have some truth or offer valuable learning, even Wicca.

Yes, but there is a big difference between man's teachings and God's teachings. When examining these religions and finding that they all have similarities, like, "You should not kill" for example, you have to wonder why there are these similarities, and more to the point, where they come from. Moral behavior is not innate, it is not something we all have from birth. SO you cannot rightly say that the teaching not to kill is something that comes froma human source. Which religions recognize God as being the source for human morality?

Is it possible that even obscure religions have some truth, or that practicing a different religion can "save" you or lead you to God?

Here is one of the problems. The act of practicing any religion is insufficient to achieve a heavenly goal. The Bible does not teach the practice of religion but, as you pointed out, cultivating a personal relationship with the God of the universe. And this is the main difference between Christianity and all other world religions. All world religions teach a method, a way of attaining a higher level of reality. They must follow the laws of the religion in order to achieve their goals. Christianity does not demand this at all. There is no "method" in Christendom to gain the kingdom of the heavens. All one must do is believe into the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

What I'm asking is...do you believe it's true that you need Jesus, which Christianity says, or can you get saved by good works, dying a martyr, etc as other faiths claim...?

No. Good works cannot save you. Not according to Christianity, at least. Doing works implies that there is a certain demand that must be met in order to gain favor with God. Islam teaches the four (or is it five) pillars, Judaism has the keeping of the law, and other faiths like Hinduism and Buddhism teach moral behavior and meditation. Only in Christianity do you have God forgiving a person based upon the sacrifice of His only Son. In Christianity God's favor is not based upon anything that the believer does outwardly, but is based upon what Christ has done outwardly and is received inwardly by the believer. Hence, Christianity is "faith based," not works based.

By the way, I learned in human geography that the major three were called such because they were the most widely practiced, not because of having a text. Is that true?

They are the most widely practiced, so I would not disagree with that. But they are the only three that have holy writings also. The other major religions are Hindu and Buddhism - I exclude Taoism and Confucious because Taoism is not practiced as much and Confucious is more of a teaching than a religion. Hinu and Buddhism have writen teachings, but none of these are considered holy, ie. inspired by God. Therefore, the big three are considered by most to be the only major world religions.

[nebula]

Studying religions can make your head spin.

May I offer some alternative questions to consider in your thinking?

What is religion?

What is religious belief?

What is the purpose of religion?

Is there a personal God, a vague diety, or a spiritual nothingness? (or something else)

Were you created for a purpose, or is your life here just a part of the big cosmic accident?

You see, we could spend the rest of our lives on Earth discussing opinions and philosophies and theologies. We can dissect teh views and decided we like "this" particular view on the world over the others. Unfortunately, what I "like" or what you "like" has no impact on what is.

If atheistic evolution is correct, then there is no supreme being, we are all just one big "accident," and I might as well live for myself and my pleasure 'cause that's all there is in life.

If there is a supreme being who orders existance in some manner, shape, or form, then it might be a good idea to figure out what this supreme being is all about. If "it" is impersonable, then do I seek to drain myself into the "nothingness" promoted by Hinduism and/or Buddhism? Or does it matter? What significance does this force have in my life? Does this all-powerful-force, or whatever it is, even care how I live this life? Waht happens after death? How do I fingout?

If there is a personal God who wants a personal relationship with me, then how do I join in this relationship? What are the requirements? What happens if there is a personal God who has specific requirements, but I fail to fulfill the (those) requirement(s)?

I don't know how to answer the question you are seeking. I can only tell you this. When I became a Christian, it was not for 'Christianity." I chose to follow Jesus (the One who loved me and gave His life for me that I may live with Him). Granted, I was young at the time and knew not of alternatives. However, as my years progresses, I have found Jesus to be real in my life. There have been times I felt like calling it quits on Christianity, but I could never bring myself to deny Jesus. My life would be so empty without Him. I've had people tell me I am delusional, or that "I'm putting myself into a box" by restricting my beliefs to "the Bible," but I cannot both follow Jesus and paly "pick-and-chose" games with the collection of writings that speak of Him. That's hypocracy! If I believe that Jesus is the only way to God, it is because the book that contains His word says so! Am I right? Well, truthfully, only time will tell through experience.

Apart from your crying out, "God, which religion is true? Please show me the truth," I don't know what you could do to find your answer. Because, if you think about it, how can there be more than one truth?

God bless your journey!

[ted]

Sure, a lot of religions have some truth to them, but only Jesus is the Truth, the Way, the Light, and the Power. Only through Him and His work on the cross are we able to look upon our future as secure.

Thank you, Jesus!

t.

[OneAccord]

. When I became a Christian, it was not for 'Christianity." I chose to follow Jesus (the One who loved me and gave His life for me that I may live with Him).

nebula:

Excellent post, all the way through. I lifted out this quote from it because wow does that hit the nail on the head! Christianity is the most confusing labyrinth I have ever found and I would have given up on it a while ago if it weren't for Jesus. There's a song we used to sing at church that had a line in it that said "I'm sorry for the things I made it, when it's all about You".....

feraline:

you are asking perfectly valid questions, I hope you are finding satisfying answers.

It is very hard to say, We have the Truth and all the rest of you are wrong and lost. People outside of Christianity (unbelievers) feel like Christians are very condemning, intolerant, etc, because of doctrine of Jesus being the only way and everyone else is going to hell. A bitter pill to swallow.

In my own personal walk, I'm having to really come to terms with this one myself, in all honesty. Essentially, I have to believe what the Bible says, and ALL of it, or I can't believe any of it because then I would have to be deciding which scriptures to believe and which not to, and I'd probably be very wrong.

In following Christ, I have had to submit to His teachings which are found in the Bible. It takes faith, because some days I wake up in the morning thinking this is crazy, and I have had to sometimes make myself belive what is so contrary to everything I was ever taught in chasing other religions.

I also have many, many friends caught up in other religions and teachings, who deny Jesus, and I still love these friends and hang out with them, and it's interesting to see how their differnet spiritual paths work in their lives. Mostly I don't see them working at all, I don't see the tranformation, the hungering after God, the passionate love for God, the devotion, the quickening of the conscience that I see among the Christians.

Hope this helps, I don't know what your intention in asking these questions is, but as I said, they are certainly legitimate questions and worthy of meditation.

[Guest Mudfly]

God-man summed it up nicely.

The major difference between Christianity and all other religions is Christianity is the only one where you have a personal relationship with God because our God is not dead.

He is alive! ...and because He is alive, we can have that personal relationship with Him.

It is an awesomingly (<- new word ) humbling thing to pray to God, and have Him gently reach down, and touch you, or whisper something to you.

Mudfly,

"I don't want anything to do with religion, but I want everything to do with Jesus Christ!"

[Adstar]

feraline

satan is a great deceiver, he wraps a lie up in a thousand truths to make that lie seem truth. There is only One Way to the Father and that is through the Messiah Jesus :il:

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

[Matthitjah]

Greetings Brethren in the Peace and Love of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Also greetings feraline.

From the Love that resides in my heart. The Love that provides the very air you breathe. The Love that with, you reason the very questions you pose. The Love that desires to impart to you the very good gift. The gift you most need . For that Love is the Creator. The Creator having saw fit in His wisdom to give free will. So that He could have a people(His hearts desire) worship worthy of His good names sake and of His Awesome Glory! He desires to give the thing you most need. This He would know for He is the Creator. The thing you most need is He Himself. This is the thing that all the others lack. This is the thing that He Himself provides. That no other can give. This Creator left His Holy Habitation to come here and touch and heal your sin sick heart and soul. Your seperation from Righteousness that creates the very condition in which you exist. This G-d our Lord. He stepped down into the muck and the mire. Leaving a place of indescribable Beauty,Love, Righteousness,Joy ,Peace (to go on makes me cry) To act in Pure Love. To extend a hand a way up to His very Creation, for which being Righteous, He is responsible. He reached into the muck and mire and said here am I. Throw the muck and mire on Me.I will take on your transgression, I will shoulder your burden, I will take the very thing that seperates you from Me. I desire you. All of you. It's for My Glory and My names sake. I provide the way! This He saw fit to do because even though you are lost and sin sick lacking the Righteousness you need to stand in His very presence. He in in His Awesome Glory still Loves you. He is aware of what you most need and has made provision. All you need to do is ask. :il:

Now one question for you about your alias,

feraline?

Do you have the nature of a wild ,untamed ,savage animal?

Or do you have the nature of the dead, gloominess, and fatality?

I extend the Love of Christ to you if you are truly seeking.

I am concerned about your alias and your signature that would seem to want to draw a contrast between Judeo/Christianity(Truth) and some kind of mystical fantasy.

I pray you come for answers and find the Truth and Love!

Peace :il: Amen!